Former Nigel Tiley-trained galloper Riding The Wave (Malibu Moon) scored an impressive metropolitan victory at the stand-alone Ballarat Cup meeting on Saturday when taking out the Ritchies IGA BM70 Handicap (1100m) for new conditioner Lindsey Smith.
Tiley and wife Lee remain in the ownership if the imposing son of Malibu Moon, who advanced his record to five wins and five placings from 14 starts and looks set to make his mark from his new quarters.
Ridden by 3kg-claiming apprentice Will Price, Riding The Wave settled last on the rail with only an even pace established by leaders Mistake (Turffontein) and Memphis Rock (Fastnet Rock), before swamping the pair to score by a short head from Mistake, with Tan Tat Harmony (Brazen Beau) in third.
Warrnambool-based Smith believes the former New Zealand sprinter is up to Stakes company and nominated the Gr.3 Standish Handicap (1200m), to be run at Flemington on New Year’s Day, as a possible summer aim for the gelding who was having his second Australian start.
“He is going places, he’ll reach top grade no doubt,” Smith said.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the Standish or something like that if he can win a couple more between now and then. I think that would be a good race for him.”
Riding The Wave is one of a handful of horses from Tiley’s stable, which includes the promising stayer Kissinger (NZ) (Tavistock), to transfer to Smith this year in a move initiated by syndicator Brad Spicer.
“He was well sourced by Team Spicer and he’s become a beautiful horse,” Smith said.
“I looked at the paper yesterday and he was $15 (so) I checked that he still had four legs.
“I thought he was pretty strong the other day at Bendigo. We learned a little bit. He’s got such a big stride. We dropped him back in grade so that we could get that momentum up and use that stride as you could see in the last 100 metres.”